Cabinet Mountains

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A government wildlife worker who recently landed her dream job researching grizzly bears in a Montana mountain range is recovering from a bear attack that left her with a fractured skull and other serious injuries.

A woman who reported a bear attack in a remote section of the Cabinet Mountains south of Libby earlier this week sustained serious injuries during her surprise defensive encounter with the animal, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

Environmentalists are suing the U.S. Forest Service over the agency’s approval of the Montanore Mine near Libby. The lawsuit filed Friday says the government’s authorization for the mine in the Cabinet Mountains could drain surrounding waterways and harm a species of trout protected under federal law.